Hello digital followers! We at Health Products for You hope that you had an enjoyable and healthy holiday. Now that we have hit the month of January, it is time to start those dreaded New Year’s resolutions. Every year you tell yourself you are going to drastically change your life for the better. Yet, for the most part, very few of us really follow through on our resolutions. Well why let yourself fall into the same trap again this year? In this article I would like to highlight some tips on sticking with those New Year’s resolutions for 2012.

The first and possibly most important tip would be to create a realistic goal. Losing 50 lbs by April is not a realistic goal. Neither is mastering the art of French cooking in 3 months. These things take time, especially with a major lifestyle change like weight loss or quitting smoking. We would all love to see quick results with improvements such as these, but in order to accomplish long-term goals short-term goals must be met. Creating a set plan with weekly, bi-weekly or monthly goals is a great way to feel accomplished while putting your resolution into perspective.

Another trap that many people fall into when making their resolutions would be combining resolutions. Going to the gym every day AND quitting smoking is a lot for the body to process at one time. Pick one specific goal and stick with that. Trying to have multiple resolutions muddies your results and creates unnecessary stress. One goal is difficult enough to accomplish without adding the weight of another entire lifestyle change. One resolution is enough, no need get over-zealous.

Waiting until new years to thin of the resolution is another folly that many people fall victim to. Planning ahead is a great way to be prepared when the New Year Hits. Making a schedule for yourself ahead of time allows you to jump right into your lifestyle change as soon as the hangover subsides from New Year’s Eve. Using this plan to start with small steps is another great idea. Slowly integrating these changes into your daily routine will eventually allow them to become part of your lifestyle. Having a set plan and slowly making it a part of your everyday lifestyle will allow you to increase your odds of reaching that ominous goal.

If you set a goal last year, failed and were upset about it, why would you put yourself through that again? If you had troubles with a resolution the year before, why bring back the bad memories? Create a new goal or at least change your old one enough to where it will not remind you of past failures. You have to remember that change, especially a major lifestyle change, is a process. It does not happen overnight. There will be struggles. Not repeating a failed resolution, unless tweaked to set you up for success, will help to overcome the resolution

Another really important thing to remember is not to allow small stumbles to break you off of your path. Missteps will occur, it is a natural issue with major life changes. If you have a bad day where you eat some fast food or bum a few cigarettes try not to get depressed about it and feel like you have ruined all of your progress. You have to be able to recover and use the mistake as motivation to try even harder. A great way to do this is to create a support system for yourself. Whoever it is that is close to you and cares enough to want you to succeed whether it be parents, loved ones or friends, are a great source of support. When things get difficult, a good support system can be the difference between succeeding and failing.

The final tip I can give you is not to get complacent. There is going to come a time down the road where you are seeing great results. When that happens, you may find yourself thinking, “Well, I have come this far. I can cheat a little bit now,” That is the wrong way to think unfortunately. Taking steps backwards after coming so far forward is the worst thing you can do. You have to keep up your motivation by constantly challenging yourself. A reward system is definitely beneficial, but rewarding yourself with your vices is counterproductive. Pick something you enjoy but that is not detrimental to your progress. This is a good way to renew your moti9vation and stay on the right path to improvement.

So to conclude, I hope that everyone has made some great goals for 2012. This is a brand New Year and I believe we should all make the most of it. Set a resolution and stick to it this year! If you can set a realistic goal and follow some of my tips, then you will have a great chance at reaching that lifestyle change and making a great improvement for the New Year.